mike, happy new year to you. >> happy new year. this is really incredible. the senate is moving at electric pace here. at least for the senate. now, you might think that's a funny thing to say considering these negotiations have dragged on since virtually the day after the election. everybody knew that this so-called fiscal cliff loomed. there was a lot of positioning and posturing all over the course of second half of november and leading up really up until the last few days when vice president biden received a call from the republican leader mitch mcconnell and at long last they got to serious negotiations. and just we're watching this vote as it happens right now. listening to the roll call. it appears that it's going to pass with overwhelming support in the united states senate. obviously we have technically gone over the fiscal cliff at this point. however, this will be retroactive to, what, an hour and 53 minutes ago on the east coast. so it would be no effect, with one big caveat, of course. next comes the house of representatives and nobody knows how